Most physicians have some common traits - perseverance, dedication, patience - but as with any specialty, pediatricians often have a few unique personality traits that draw them to the field of pediatrics. they include:

- Good-natured personality
- Sensitive
- “Easy-going for medical people”
- Ability to accept delayed gratification
- Enjoy high level of interaction and direct care for people
- Tolerant of the faults of others
- Comfortably around children (in general, but even when they are sick in particular)
- Enjoy a variety of activities
- Be outgoing
- Accepting of schedule disruptions
- Enjoy teaching people

To become a "Pediatric Sub-specialist", you have to complete medical school and a 3-year Pediatric Residency Training Program. A "Post-Residency" program, called a "Fellowship", is typically a 2-4 year program of further training that focuses your efforts on one of the below Pediatric areas of expertise.

Below, we describe what each specialty entails.

Pediatric Allergist/Asthma/Immunologist - treat and manage patients with environmental, food and medication allergies, asthma, and immune system problems (immune deficiencies such as HIV, agammaglobulinemia). Most treat patients in an office setting.

Pediatric Anesthesiologist - help manage infants and children having surgery. These highly skilled doctors provide airway and circulatory support during and after surgery. They also help manage pain for many children with chronic illnesses. They work within a hospital setting in the operating room and ICU of major hospitals and children's hospitals.

Pediatric Cardiologist - treat heart and circulation issues of children. Often they treat patients in a hospital setting and see some patients in an outpatient, office setting. Most are affiliated with a large university teaching hospital. They perform echocardiograms (ultrasounds of the heart), cardiac catheterizations, and use medications to treat heart problems of children. They work closely with Pediatric Cardio thoracic Surgeons who do the surgical repairs of pediatric heart patients.

Pediatric Cardio thoracic Surgeon - primarily and initially trained as surgeons (not pediatricians), "CT Surgeons" are highly trained specialists that perform quite complex heart surgeries on infants and children of all ages. They almost exclusively work at larger, tertiary academic medical centers.

Pediatric Dermatologist - diagnose and treat skin and skin structure issues of children and infants. They are typically working only at tertiary, academic medical centers.

Pediatric Developmentalist - treat infants and children with developmental disabilities as well as diagnose various medical issues that affect development (such as ADHD, muscular dystrophy).

Pediatric Emergency Physician - work in emergency rooms across the country in providing urgent and emergency care for infants and children. They typically work at larger hospitals that can support a dedicated emergency room for children.

Pediatric Gastroenterologist - treat and perform procedures on infants and children pertaining to the gastrointestinal (GI) system. They often do procedures such as endoscopies and colonoscopies when children need these special procedures.

Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist - diagnose and treat infants and children with minor and major blood disorders, including leukemias and lymphomas. They also treat solid tumors (cancers) in children of all ages. They are typically associated with larger academic or children's hospitals.

Pediatric Hospitalist - specialize in treating only the hospital needs of infants and children admitted to the hospital due to illness. They spend all of their time in the hospital (vs. in an office setting) treating their patients.

Pediatric - highly trained pediatricians that are experts in treating critically ill infants and children. They perform procedures in the ICU, spend almost all their time and energy in the ICU caring for the sickest of children.

Pediatric Nephrologist - medical kidney specialists for infants and children. They often manage patients with high blood pressure (which is often kidney-related), are involved in kidney transplant management, and treat children that require dialysis.

Pediatrician/Neonatologist - pediatricians that spend nearly all of their time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit treating and managing challenging sick newborns. They treat premature infants and work closely with NICU nurses and respiratory techs in treating the sickest of newborns.

Pediatric Neurologist - treat and manage infants and children with seizures, brain abnormalities and medical conditions that affect the brain.

Pediatric Neurosurgeon - primarily trained as surgeons, these specialists do extra training after their surgery residency to treat infants and children with brain trauma, brain tumors and other surgical issues related the head.

Pediatric Orthopedist - primarily trained as surgeons, they treat bone abnormalities, injuries and diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system (bones, joints, and muscles).

Pediatric Pulmonologist - treat and manage lung issues and manage severe breathing problems for children in the hospital. They perform some procedures (bronchoscopy) and treat asthma and cystic fibrosis, among other lung diseases in children.

Pediatric Rehab Physician (Physiatrist) - treat and manage the health needs of children that are recovering from injuries, often severe.